sick, some of them caring for someone who is sick. and a lot of people paranoid that an airborne random flu droplet is out there somewhere with their name on it. the good news, the cdc believes the flu has slowed down, at least in terms of the rate of its spread. the bad news is, it has spread already to 47 out of the 50 states. and has overwhelmed some hospitals, entire cities and states have declared states of health emergency. indiana, for one, is now reporting 21 deaths in that state alone. and for a lot of people who waited this long, now the question. have they missed their opportunity to get a flu shot, and will it be effective if they do get it? an answer on that in just a moment. we begin tonight with the latest from nbc's tom costello. >> with heavy flu now reported in nearly every state, health departments are reporting long lines to get the vaccine. in huntsville, alabama, school kids were getting the mist vaccine today. at the cook travel agency in new york, more than 30% of the staff

is out sick. >> we spend tens of thousands of dollars a month on advertising, on google and stuff. and we can't answer their questions. >> reporter: the flu was even the uninvited guest at the golden globes last night. hugh jackman just recovering. >> i'm on the tail end of this flu. and i was kicking myself for not getting the flu shot. >> reporter: and one of hollywood's biggest names unable to attend. >> meryl streep is not here tonight. she has the flu. and i hear she's amazing in it. >> reporter: experts continue to warn, the virus can survive for up to eight hours. think of all the things you touch every day that others may have already touched. children's toys, grocery carts, self checkout registers, atm and elevator buttons, public rest rooms, toilets and sinks, common door handles, buses and escalators, restaurant tables, the list could go on forever. dr. bob rothstein is the medical director at suburban hospital in maryland. >> when you're at the office, think about all the things you share with all your co-workers that may be contaminated. the rest room, the doorknob.

the microwave, the refrigerator, the communal coffee maker. don't forget the fax machine, printer, your keyboard, your telephone. and if you sneeze in an environment like this, you can infect everyone. >> that quickly? >> that quickly. >> reporter: so why is it so much worse this year than last? doctors say the virus appears to mutate. >> as we get one type of immunity, it will change and develop another kind of flu virus that can be easier to spread and potentially more serious. >> reporter: this mutating flu still spreading fast. tom costello, nbc news, bethesda, maryland. >> dr. tanya benenson is our chief medical officer here at nbc. tanya, you were telling me before air you have handed out about 1,000 inoculations just to our employees here in new york. you're reporting a lot of first-timers this year. but to that question, is it too late to get the inoculation? >> it's not too late. we still hear the flu is spreading. if the flu is spreading, new people are getting the flu and

that could be you if you haven't had it. it's definitely not too late. it takes two weeks to kick in so the earlier the better, still can get one. >> people who hear this efficacy rate of 60-some odd percent, is it still worth it? >> it's still 62%. which is better than zero percent. if you get the flu shot, even if you got some form of the flu that wasn't covered by the flu shot, you could have a milder flu if you don't get the flu shot. and that's important. because if the real flu knocks you out, it's not a subtle thing. >> this is not the last time we'll be asking of your advice, dr. tanya benenson, chief medical officer here at nbc, thank you. as always. the associated press is quoting a source reporting tonight that lance armstrong has confessed to oprah winfrey in a three-hour interview taped today that he used performance-enhancing drugs. earlier today before the interview, he sat down with the people who work at the charity he founded, livestrong, to apologize to them. our report on all of it tonight

from nbc's ron mott. >> reporter: today, after months of silence about whether he would address widespread speculation that he used performance-enhancing drugs, lance armstrong issued an apology to the cancer foundation he founded for what livestrong said was the stress they have endured because of him. the mea culpa happened before armstrong sat down with oprah winfrey for an interview set to air thursday, in which he is expected to offer an admission of some measure. >> he was a transcendent sports figure, bigger than the sport and it was because of the livestrong band, because of the bracelets and people overcoming cancer. and frankly, people at livestrong have been pressuring him for a while now. to minimize this damage. >> reporter: nbc news learned that in a conversation, armstrong who forcefully denied doping allegations for years said, quote, it was just the way the game was played at the time so it was a level playing field. the 41-year-old armstrong has remained largely out of public view since the united states anti doping agency moved to vacate his records and institute

a lifetime ban for what the agency described as armstrong's role in leading a, quote, systemic, sustained and highly professionalized team-run doping conspiracy. in 2005, armstrong testified under oath that he did not use performance-enhancing drugs during his racing career. over the years, armstrong has weathered a number of challenges in that regard. but the timing of a potential public admission may be rooted on legal grounds, says nbc's justice correspondent, pete williams. >> it's unlikely he would be prosecuted for perjury, because the only statement he made under oath was seven years ago, beyond the statute of limitations. so it's more likely he would face civil lawsuits. >> reporter: for now, boundless questions remain for lance armstrong, whose answers have yet to come, if ever. ron mott, nbc news, boston. the massacre at sandy hook elementary school in newtown, connecticut, was a month ago today. while we're waiting for washington to weigh in on the subject of guns in america, it was an emotional day in that small new england town.

nbc's anne thompson is there for us tonight. anne, good evening. >> reporter: good evening, brian. there is a new group here in newtown called sandy hook promise and the founders say it is not partisan or political. it is a group that wants the nation to listen, to think, and most of all, have a civil dialogue about how to keep tragedies like this school shooting from ever happening again. in newtown, pain has no timetable. >> on friday, december 14th, i put two children on the bus and only one came home. >> reporter: one month to the day, nelba marquez-greene and her husband jimmy lost their 6-year-old daughter, anna, in an unthinkable massacre. they joined other victims' families to demand change. >> this is our son ben. >> david and francine's son ben loved music and scouting. >> what is it worth doing to keep your children safe? >> reporter: along with other newtown residents, these anguished families are taking

what's called the sandy hook promise. encouraging common sense solutions to prevent more mass killings. >> i do not want to be someone sharing my experience and consoling another parent next time. >> reporter: nicole and ian hockley's son, dylan, loved the color purple, trampolines and his big brother jake. dylan died in the arms of his teacher's aide. >> what is your biggest fear about this? >> that is has no sense. and that nothing will happen. that's my biggest fear. that it will just continue to perpetuate, and happen again somewhere else. >> reporter: what they don't want is the same old debate. they want a new discussion that gets beyond preconceived notions of guns, violence and mental health. and in this town where some residents own and use guns for recreation, they want all parties at the table. >> the middle ground and the answers, i actually think are going to come from gun owners themselves. >> reporter: a dialogue and

admission giving these grieving parents renewed purpose. >> we are not done being the best possible parents we can be for ben. >> reporter: creating a living legacy for the children they've ried. as for the building where so many people died, what is going to happen to that building is still under discussion. brian? >> anne thompson, newtown, connecticut tonight. anne, thanks. now to the other piece of this in washington. >> president obama said today he's reviewing a series of proposals from vice president biden about how to curb gun violence in this country. the president was asked about that fight today at his final news conference of his first term. he was also pressed about this looming fight over the debt ceiling. our chief white house correspondent, chuck todd, was part of the questioning. he joins us from there tonight. chuck, good evening. >> reporter: good evening, brian. as you mentioned, vice president biden formally gave the president the gun violence task force recommendation that he was

charged with getting. and while the president said he's formally going to unveil what his proposals are going to be, he did say today that if congress doesn't act at this news conference, he's willing to do it himself. during the hour-long press conference, president obama said he wants stronger background checks and limits on assault weapons and ammunition. but acknowledged the difficult politics. >> those are things i continue to believe make sense. will all of them get through this congress? i don't know. >> reporter: and he said administrative action, such as backtracking guns used by criminals are things he may be able to do right away. >> i'm confident that there are some steps we can take that don't require legislation. >> reporter: but gun control was not the president's main focus today. he reiterated that he won't negotiate with congressional republicans over whether to raise the country's virtual credit card limit to pay its bills. >> we are not a deadbeat nation. raising the debt ceiling does not authorize more spending. it simply allows the country to

pay for spending that congress has already committed to. >> reporter: and with washington once again careening toward a fiscal crisis, this one involving debt and spending, the president made it clear he intends to stand firm. >> if congressional republicans refuse to pay america's bills on time, social security checks and veterans' benefits will be delayed. >> reporter: the president acknowledged republicans could end up shutting down the government if he doesn't yield on spending cuts. but he warned against it. >> i think it would be profoundly damaging to our economy. i think it would actually add to our deficit, because it will impede growth. >> reporter: another more immediate political fight for the president, confirming his pentagon nominee, chuck hagel, a republican, who got a boost on "meet the press" sunday from former republican secretary of state, colin powell, who used the occasion to take a larger, deeper shot at the gop. >> there's also a dark -- a dark vein of intolerance of some parts of the party. what do i mean by that? what i mean by that is, they

still sort of look down on minorities. how can i evidence that? when i see a former governor say that the president is shuckin' and jivin'. that's a racial era slave term. >> reporter: now, brian, the issue of the lack of diversity in the president's second-term appointment so far came up at the press conference today, and the president simply asked for more time, defended his record of diversity in the first term and said wait until he's finished with all of his appointments. >> chuck todd on the north lawn of the white house for us tonight. chuck, thanks. overseas, france launched military attacks on the west african nation of mali over the weekend with intelligence and logistics support from the u.s. government of mali called for help when militants made a move on the capital using jets and helicopters. france launched a wave of air strikes against the militants and put hundreds of troops in the capital. still, the militants advanced today. france says the operation they say will take just weeks. others aren't so sure.

here at home, some sad numbers out of the pentagon tonight, more american military service members died from suicide than combat last year. 349 americans serving in the military killed themselves in 2012. that's up from 301 the year before. 295 active duty troops died fighting in afghanistan last year. the pentagon has correctly labeled the suicide rate an epidemic. some good news out of houston, texas tonight. former president george h.w. bush 41 is home and much happier this evening, released from the hospital after almost two months. he was treated originally from bronchitis and persistent cough. he was in intensive care for a time and for a time it was dicey as members of his family gathered. he'll need some physical therapy at home, but he's home after all. in classic and gracious 41 style, he said today, his only concern was not being able to thank all the people who wished him well while he was sick.

still ahead, as we continue on a monday evening, the commercials you may soon start seeing. they'll get your attention as a big brand name takes on obesity and the food police. and later, about last night. raves for the hosts, the moments that brought down the house, and the speech that still left some people wondering.

in the battle against obesity in our country, soft drink makers are right in the middle of it with nutrition experts taking a cue from the mayor of new york, michael bloomberg, who has declared war on sugary drinks over 16 ounces. now the biggest of the big brands is pushing back in a tv ad campaign you'll soon be seeing. our report from nbc's chris jansing. ♪ ♪ if i could teach the world to sing in perfect harmony ♪ >> reporter: the company that once wanted to buy the world a coke, whose commercials turned adorable polar bears into pop culture celebrities, has just launched a very different ad

campaign. >> today, we'd like people to come together on something that concerns all of us. obesity. >> reporter: for the first time ever, a soft drink company is marketing itself as part of the solution. >> the well-being of our families and communities concerns everyone. >> reporter: in a battle over obesity that increasingly targets sugary drinks as a big part of the problem. >> i think what they're trying to do is to get in front of this issue, as much as they can. >> reporter: it's clear, the pressure is mounting. >> we've taken bold action in new york city, because obesity is a national epidemic that's getting worse. >> reporter: new york mayor michael bloomberg spearheaded a ban on soft drinks over 16 ounces. other cities are considering similar bans. health experts warn, the evidence is mounting. >> sugary drinks can affect body weight quite quickly, perhaps more so than any other single food product. >> reporter: the growing criticism seems to be having an impact. soft drink consumption has been declining steadily since 1998, down 17%.

>> public opinion is really turning against the industry. i don't think they can use a pr effort to cover up all the harm their products are doing. >> reporter: responding in the prime time ad and company statement, coke argues, it's already offering smaller sizes, putting calorie counts on cans and expanding low and no-calorie alternatives. >> over 125 years, we've been bringing people together. >> reporter: taking up the fight, because it didn't get to be one of the world's most iconic brands by sleepwalking through the challenges of changing times. chris jansing, nbc news, new york. and we're back in a moment with the new twist tonight in one of hollywood's biggest mysteries.

a new report out today about the drowning death of natalie wood in 1981. the l.a. county coroner now says some of the bruises on her body may have happened before she ended up in the water off her

yacht and drowned. she was on that yacht with her husband, robert wagner and her co star, a young actor named christopher walken. police reiterated, neither are considered suspects. leon leyson died. at the age of 13, he was the youngest person saved from the nazis by oscar schindler. he had to stand on a box in schindler's factory in krakow, but doing so saved his life. for years he taught high school in anonymity in california until the film came out and he became known. he then lectured on the holocaust across u.s. and canada. leon leyson was 83. justice clarence thomas today broke a nearly seven-year silence on the supreme court during many oral arguments when many of the justices jump in and pepper lawyers with questions. justice thomas has always preferred listening to talking until today. justice scalia made a joke about yale law school, justice thomas'

alma mater, and according to the court transcript, thomas said, quote -- "well, he did not" -- and that's all he said, four words. but he did break his streak. his other streak remains intact. he hasn't asked a question of counsel from the bench in oral arguments for seven years. corvette fans are salivating over the first new redesign in a while. it's the seventh-generation corvette stingray unveiled at the big detroit auto show. while the exterior is, granted, all-new, it also gets an interior makeover, something of a sore point, even among corvette fans. we have a due date. kate, the duchess of cambridge, will give birth to an heir to the throne sometime in july. the announcement from the palace also refers to "a baby" ending speculation that there might be two arrivals on the way. when we come back here tonight, folks are still talking tonight about what happened last night in the ballroom at the beverly hilton.

finally tonight, about last night in hollywood. the golden globes are now history, and along the way, there was comedy frivolity, pathos and drama, a lot like the work they were there to salute on the big and small screen.

our report tonight from nbc's kristen dahlgren. >> reporter: it was a night of surprises. >> "argo." >> reporter: "argo" awarded best picture, ben affleck, best director, just days after being shut out for the oscar. >> i don't care what the award is. when they put your name next to the names you just read off, it's an extraordinary thing in it your life. >> now. >> reporter: "lincoln" which came into the globes with the most nominatns, seven, left with just one win, best actor in a drama. but the film about the 16th president brought another surprise. when the 42nd president introduced it. >> in lincoln, we see a man more interesting than the legend, and a far better guide for future presidents. >> that was hillary clinton's husband! >> reporter: it was definitely a girl's night. hbo upstart "girls" won best tv comedy and the first female hosting duo. >> "hunger games" was one of the biggest films of the year and

also the six weeks it took me to get into this dress. >> "life of pi" i'm going to call the next six weeks after i take this dress off. >> reporter: "zero dark thirty's" jessica chastain won best actress in a drama, but it was jodie foster who brought the night's most dramatic moments. accepting a lifetime achievement award, the notoriously private actress got personal. >> loud and proud, right? so i'm going to support on this. i am single. i already did my coming out about 1,000 years ago. >> then brought a-listers to tears with a touching message to her 84-year-old mother. >> i know you're inside those blue eyes somewhere. i love you, i love you, i love you. >> i think this was one of the first times we really saw her humanize herself. >> reporter: a dramatic night full of big winners. >> "les miserables". >> reporter: and plenty of golden moments. kristen dahlgren, nbc news, hollywood. >> and back here in new york,

that's our broadcast on a monday night, as we start a new week. thank you for being here with us. i'm brian williams, and of course, we hope to see you right back here tomorrow evening. good night. noit now at 6:00 weather woes. the bay area in a cold winter blast. >> what will it take to stop the violence? leaders spar over what needs to be done to make oakland safe. >> plus, the falling apple. why the stock took a big hit today. good evening. thank you for joining us. i'm raj mathai. >> and i'm jessica aguirre. a frigid day across the bay area. temperatures dipping well below the freezing mark in most cities overnight. palo alto, cars parked on the

street and the grass covered in ice. >> the cold snap is posing a threat to crops in the sevcentr valley. so key for our state. farmers are watching thermometers and taking precautions to protect the citrus crops. >> all across the bay area, watching the mercury. jeff ranieri tells us when we'll get a break. >> it will take another two to three days before those temperatures gradually start to warm up. i'm starting off with the coldest spot this hour that is danville at 39. also pleasanton. livermore, 44. and right near the bay also a very cold for oakland this time of the year at 49 degrees. three of the top coldest spots set for tuesday morning, gilroy could go down again to the mid 20s with 25. napa 26 and livermore 27 degrees. that's about ten degrees below where we should be this time of the year. for the east bay, all ten days this month at 36 degrees and/or solow.